School of Humanities doctoral researcher Nathan Cornish has won the live pitch competition at the AHRC-funded TV-PhD scheme, held during the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026.

Nathan’s winning idea, Rooted: A History of Plants and People, invited audiences to connect with the plants we encounter in our gardens, kitchens and local green spaces, and to discover the surprising stories they can reveal about our history, culture and the environment; how these stories can inform our modern ecologies and help us to nurture a biodiverse future.

The pitch impressed a panel of television commissioners and earned Nathan the top prize at the Edinburgh TV Awards.

The TV-PhD scheme, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and organised by the TV Foundation, brought together 15 PhD researchers from across the UK to develop television programme ideas inspired by their research. Seven participants were selected to pitch their ideas live at the festival, with the winner announced at the awards ceremony.

Following his success, Nathan received a trophy at the Edinburgh TV Awards and will now work with Storyboard Studios in Glasgow to further develop the concept through a placement.

Reflecting on the experience, Nathan said “The most wonderful part of the whole week was making friends with the TV-PhD Cohort 2026 who are absolutely incredible researchers and communicators with projects I’m sure you’ll be hearing about in future!

“Doctoral research can be a solitary experience and it’s events like this that create the communities where new ideas and collaborations get made and encouraged.”